A summer in Europe may still be on the cards, with emerging alternative flight paths paving the way for Australian travellers.
Mykonos continues to tick all the right boxes as a destination – aspirational, stable, accessible via alternate routes and buoyed by demand from discerning travellers.
In an exclusive Q&A with Travel Weekly, Myconian Collection owner Vangelis Daktylides discusses why clients should rethink, rather than cancel their travel plans.
Q: With ongoing instability in the Middle East impacting flight routes and pricing, should Australians reconsider European travel this year?
It is understandable that travellers are reassessing their plans, particularly with some traditional routes disrupted and airfares fluctuating. However, Greece remains very much open, stable and welcoming.
What we are seeing is not reduced demand, but a shift in behaviour. Australians are routing via hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong, travelling onwards into Europe via Athens, and in many cases incorporating a stopover along the way. As a result, trips are becoming more intentional, with longer stays, fewer destinations, and a stronger focus on quality once they arrive.
Q: Why do Greece and Mykonos specifically continue to resonate with Australian travellers?
Greece offers a compelling combination of familiarity and escapism. Australians connect with the lifestyle, coastal living, exceptional food, and a relaxed pace, while still experiencing something distinctly European.
Mykonos has also evolved. While it retains its energy, there is now a far more sophisticated and layered offering, particularly in the luxury space. Travellers can move between vibrant beach culture, refined dining, and genuinely peaceful, design led accommodation.
Importantly, Mykonos is also a gateway to the Cyclades, making it an ideal base for island hopping or simply settling into one destination with plenty of variety.
The route may have changed slightly, but the reward at the end has not. Greece is open, Mykonos is thriving, and for Australians the experience is as compelling as ever.
Q: Where does the Myconian Collection fit into this evolving traveller mindset?
The Myconian Collection reflects exactly how Mykonos has matured. It is a family owned portfolio of 15 individually distinct luxury properties, many of which are set above Elia Beach, one of the island’s most beautiful and less crowded stretches of coastline.
While each hotel has its own design identity, they are unified by a strong sense of place, craftsmanship and understated luxury. What makes the Collection particularly relevant for Australian travellers is that it operates as one interconnected experience rather than a single stay.
Guests can access multiple restaurants across the portfolio, engage with a holistic wellness offering, move between beach, hillside and town settings, and tap into curated experiences.
For long haul travellers, it is no longer about just arriving, it is about what the destination gives back. At the Myconian Collection, guests can experience the island in multiple ways without ever feeling the need to move.
Q: How are Australian travellers adapting their travel patterns this year?
Australians are not travelling less, they are travelling differently. We are seeing longer stays, more considered itineraries and planning, and a stronger preference for trusted, high-quality accommodation.
This aligns naturally with a collection model where guests can anchor themselves in Mykonos and experience variety through the destination and the portfolio itself.
Q: Is Mykonos still accessible despite changes to air routes?
Yes, access remains straightforward. Australians are travelling via major Asian hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong into Athens, with seamless onward connections to Mykonos by air or ferry.
The journey may be slightly reconfigured, but it is by no means restricted.
Q: What would you say to Australian travellers who are hesitant about committing to Europe right now?
There is a natural sense of caution at the moment, and people are thinking more carefully about how and where they travel.
What remains unchanged, however, is what Greece offers. There is a consistency to the experience here, in the beauty, the culture, the hospitality, and that feeling of stepping outside your everyday life. These are not seasonal qualities; they are part of the country’s identity.
We are also seeing that travellers are approaching their journeys with greater intention. They are staying longer, choosing more carefully, and looking for experiences that feel truly worth the journey.
For Australians in particular, it is a long way to travel. But once you arrive, there is a clarity to the experience, a sense of place and perspective, that reminds you why you made the decision in the first place.
Q: Final word, why now?
Because the fundamentals have not changed. Mykonos remains one of the most compelling destinations in the Mediterranean, and Greece continues to offer exceptional value in terms of experience. For Australians willing to take a slightly different route, the reward is a richer, more considered journey.
